Before (end of 1986) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 25 · Conservative 16 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 6 · Other 0
After (end of 1987) (47 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 26 · Conservative 14 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Other 0
Ward results
Altham1 seat · turnout 56.4%
| K. Horkin | Conservative | 253 |
| N. Tattersall | Labour | 222 |
| S. Bramhill | Lib/Sdp | 156 |
Barnfield1 seat · turnout 49.6%
| J. Strak | Lib/Sdp | 778 |
| S. Beech | Labour | 471 |
| E. Rushton | Conservative | 292 |
Central1 seat · turnout 48.3%
| J. Wilkinson | Labour | 733 |
| T. Siddiqui | Conservative | 603 |
| M. Smith | Lib/Sdp | 352 |
Clayton-Le-Moors1 seat · turnout 52.7%
| C. Stone | Labour | 1,189 |
| S. Arkwright | Conservative | 1,150 |
Eachill1 seat · turnout 57.0%
| A. Critchlow | Labour | 594 ✓ |
| P. Bibby | Conservative | 471 |
| M. Block | Lib/Sdp | 342 |
| F. Smith | Green | 33 |
Huncoat1 seat · turnout 57.3%
| N. Bramley-Haworth | Conservative | 887 |
| M. Parkins | Labour | 823 |
Immanuel1 seat · turnout 53.3%
| M. Barrett | Conservative | 916 |
| R. Allonby | Labour | 850 |
| M. Smith | Lib/Sdp | 259 |
Milnshaw1 seat · turnout 55.0%
| W. Parkinson | Conservative | 967 |
| J. Ainsworth | Labour | 865 |
| R. Rigg | Lib/Sdp | 479 |
Netherton1 seat · turnout 57.1%
| G. Slynn | Labour | 1,041 |
| S. Hunt | Conservative | 685 |
| G. Griffiths | Lib/Sdp | 391 |
Overton1 seat · turnout 54.2%
| W. Sumner | Conservative | 992 |
| M. Law-Riding | Labour | 831 |
| M. Gradwell | Lib/Sdp | 717 |
Peel1 seat · turnout 51.4%
| K. Tattersall | Lib/Sdp | 995 |
| B. Dawson | Labour | 672 |
| J. Rushton | Conservative | 229 |
Spring Hill1 seat · turnout 47.2%
| R. McCormack | Labour | 1,104 |
| G. Tregartha | Lib/Sdp | 454 |
| B. Holdich | Conservative | 343 |
St. Andrews1 seat · turnout 57.6%
| E. Court | Conservative | 1,001 |
| L. Brame | Labour | 818 |
St. Oswalds1 seat · turnout 45.5%
| E. Hill | Conservative | 1,076 |
| S. Delaney | Labour | 920 |